CC Travels

I’ve split my “Where?” post into two parts because half of my time was spent in the city of Dublin and the other half in smaller towns starting at Galway–two very different experiences.

Dublin. Ah, Dublin. While I would never refuse the opportunity to visit again, I probably would say the city was a place I could have lived without experiencing, in the nicest way possible. I enjoyed my time in Dublin, but personally felt as though there is much more to be appreciated beyond the city streets. After a while, cities begin to blend into one another and the beautiful country of Ireland is so much more than bustling streets.

We stayed in Metro Hotel Dublin Airport for 3 days, which as you guessed it, was near the airport. Very convenient for first-time travelers, but I would definitely try to get something closer to downtown next time. This could have eliminated the need for a rental car for 3 days and instead we could have relied on buses and walking as everything is quite close in proximity. If you’re traveling with friends or as a couple, I would recommend a few of the hostels that are in the city center, such as Abbey Court Hostel.

Our first night in the city, we met with Thomas’ cousin, Liam, who helped us get a little more acquainted with Dublin. First stop? The Temple Bar, which I learned is actually a district of pubs and bars, but we went to THE Temple Bar Pub.

While I know his version is not the original, but it is definitely well known, the intro of Ed Sheeran’s, “Galway Girl”, where he references meeting the girl on Grafton Street? Walked that more times than I can count. In fact, he filmed his music video in Dublin and the majority of the locations in the video are all places I have now seen.

I’m not much of a drinker when it comes to alcohol, so I scanned the menu real quick and ordered an Irish Coffee.

*shhh, if you know what that is, don’t ruin the fun of the story just yet*

So I take a couple sips of my Irish Coffee as the boys are drinking their Guinness. I’m loving the whip cream and chocolate shavings on top, thinking this is a real treat. I get about halfway through chugging my glass of creamy goodness and WHAM. My lips start to curl and I turned to the guys, “I think there’s alcohol in this. Is there whiskey in this?”. They laughed in amazement with a smidge of “Crystal, you’re in Ireland, what’d you expect?”. I put my glass down in the realization that the bottom 1/4 of my glass was straight Jameson.

*chugs the rest*

What to See in/near Dublin:

• Kilmainham Gaol
• Saint Patrick’s Cathedral
• Trinity College and Library (Book of Kells is inside)

*Bonus: Easy Day Trip to Glendalough Monastic Settlement, South of Dublin

Now that probably looks like a short must-see list, but the rest of your time in the city will be full of walking, walking, eating, and more walking. We got lost about a dozen times (not on purpose) until the entire city center turned into something familiar and we no longer relied heavily on our GPS. Trust me, we saw far more than just my listed spots, but these were the most important I wanted to experience (and what I would actually return to).

1. Kilmainham Gaol is a former prison opened in 1796 and closed its doors in 1924. Before its closure, it housed some of the most famous political and military leaders in Irish history. Unfortunately, the Gaol itself had closed admissions the day we visited due to sold-out tours, but we were still able to walk through the museum for free. The history is haunting and this is definitely a place I would’ve liked to visit again and make it inside. Aside from the dark history within the walls, I was obsessed with this quirky chandelier.

   

   After we left the museum, we noticed the entrance for the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) just up the street, which was not on my list of options but we went for it anyway and I’m so glad we did. A long paved road led up to the museum itself, we walked through and around the backside into beautifully landscaped gardens. This is where I got excited at the sight of a chipmunk, but Tom corrected me and said it was in fact, a large rat.

2. Saint Patrick’s Cathedral was founded in 1191 and is both the tallest and largest church in Ireland. Regardless of where you stand on the religious scale, stained glass windows and crypts can appeal to anyone. Or maybe that’s just me because I get a kick out of old cemeteries? Either way, this place is beautiful.

3. Trinity College was one of my absolute favorite places in all of Dublin. The campus was breathtaking, but I would return to the library every single day if I could. I actually had tears in my eyes walking around the library. Pictures will never do it justice. I couldn’t take any photos of the Book of Kells, which contains the four Gospels of the New Testament, and is known as Medieval Europe’s Greatest Treasure. Any Harry Potter fans? Couldn’t make it to Hogwarts in time? Take a stroll through Trinity College and The Old Library.

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*Bonus Day Trip*: Glendalough Monastic Settlement

We hit the road before dawn and made our way south through the Wicklow Mountains (same area P.S. I Love You was filmed), the drive itself was just a little over an hour with very narrow but well-maintained roads. I finally got my first glimpse of the Irish sheep, there truly are sheep everywhere in Ireland. It’s not a joke. There are fluffy shaggy dog look-alikes and then your every day straight from the movie, Babe, sheep. It’s great.

We made it to the visitors parking area of Glendalough and walked to the 6th Century Monastic Settlement just as the sun began to rise over the mountains. Another must-see and favorite spot of mine during this trip. We stopped at The Wicklow Heather for breakfast on the drive back, wonderful staff and even better food. I have since discovered you can take a bus from Dublin to the visitors center, in case you don’t feel comfortable driving. The bus ride is just a little over an hour one way and is 6-8 EURO. Check out the schedule HERE!

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